The principal feature of interest,
connected with Easter Island, is the written language by which the ancient
traditions and legends were perpetuated. The existence of the incised tablets
was not known until the missionaries settled upon the island. Numerous
specimens were found in the possession of the natives, but no special
attention appears to have been directed towards them. Several persons,
belonging to vessels that were wrecked at Easter Island, report having seen
these tablets, but they were so highly prized by the natives, that they could
not be induced to part with them. The three hundred islanders who emigrated
to Tahiti had in their possession a number of these tablets; they created
some attention on account of the remarkable skill with which the figures were
executed, but they were highly prized by the owners and no effort was made to
secure them because their real value was not discovered. The Chilean corvette
O'Higgins visited Easter
Island in January, 1870, and Captain Gana secured three tablets, two of which
are on deposit in the national museum at Santiago de Chili and the third was
sent to France, but does not appeared to have reached its destination. Paper
impressions and casts were taken from the, Chilean tablets for the various
museums of Europe. Those sent to the English Ethnological Society created
some interest after a time, but others sent to Berlin were regarded as stamps
for marking native cloth ("Mittheilungen, July, 1871). Seven of these
tablets are now in the possession of Tepano Jansser, bishop of Axieri, all in
excellent state of preservation.

While the Mohican were at Tahiti,
the bishop kindly permitted us to examine these tablets and take photographs
of them. These tablets were obtained from the missionaries who had been
stationed on Easter Island, and they ranged in size from 5½ inches in length
by 4 inches broad, to 5½ feet in length and 7 inches wide. Diligent search
was made for specimens of these tablets during our visit to Easter Island. At
first the natives denied having any, but Mr. Salmon knew of the existence of
two, and these were finally purchased after a great deal of trouble and at
considerable expense. The tablets obtained are in a fair state of preservation.
The large one is a piece of drift-wood that from its peculiar shape is
supposed to have been used as a portion of a canoe. The other is made of the
toromiro wood indigenous to the island. In explanation of the disappearance
of these tablets, the natives stated that the missionaries had ordered all
that could be found to be burned, with a view to destroying the ancient
records, and getting rid of everything that would have a tendency to attach
them to their heathenism, and prevent their thorough conversion to
Christianity. The loss to the science of philology by this destruction of
valuable relies is too great to be estimated. The native traditions in regard
to the incised tablets simply assert that Hotu-Matua, the first king,
possessed the knowledge of this written language, and brought with him to the
island sixty-seven tablets containing allegories, traditions, genealogical
tables, and proverbs relating to the land from which he had migrated. A
knowledge of the written characters was confined to the royal family, the
chiefs of the six districts into which the island was divided, sons of those,
chiefs, and certain priests or teachers, but the people were assembled at
Anekena Bay once each year to hear all of the tablets read. The feast of the
tablets was regarded as their most important fête day, and not even war was
allowed to interfere with it.

The combination of circumstances
that caused the sudden arrest of image-making, and resulted in the
abandonment of all such work on the island, never to be again revived, may
have had its effect upon the art of writing. The tablets that have been found
in the best stage of preservation would correspond very nearly with the age
of the unfinished images in the workshops. The ability to read the characters
may have continued until 1864, when the Peruvian slavers captured a large
number of the inhabitants, and among those kidnapped, were all of the
officials and persons in authority. After this outrage, the traditions, etc.,
embraced by the tablets, seem to have been repeated on particular occasions,
but the value of the characters was not understood and was lost to the
natives. A man called Ure Vaeiko, one of the patriarchs of the island,
professes to have been under instructions in the art of hieroglyphic reading at
the time of the Peruvian visit, and claims to understand most of the
characters. Negotiations were opened with him for a translation of the two
tablets purchased; but he declined to furnish any information, on the ground
that it had been forbidden by the priests. Presents of money andvaluables were sent him from time to time,
but he invariably replied to all overtures that he was now old and feeble and
had but a short time to live, and declined most positively to ruin his
chances for salvation by doing what his Christian instructors had forbidden.
Finally the old fellow, to avoid temptation, took to the hills with the
determination to remain in hiding until after the departure of the Mohican. It was a matter of the
utmost importance that the subject should be thoroughly investigated before
leaving the island, and unscrupulous strategy was the only resource after
fair means had failed. Just before sundown one evening, shortly before the
day appointed for our sailing, heavy clouds rolled up from the southwest and
indications pointed to bad weather. In a heavy down-pour of rain we crossed
the island from Vinapu to Mateveri with Mr. Salmon, and found, as had been
expected, that old Ure Vaeiko had sought the shelter of his own home on this
rough night. He was asleep when we entered and took charge of the
establishment. When he found escape impossible he became sullen, and refused
to look at or touch a tablet. As a compromise it was proposed that he should
relate some of the ancient traditions. This was readily acceded to, because
the opportunity of relating the legends to an interested audience did not
often occur, and the positive pleasure to be derived from such an occasion
could not be neglected. During the recital certain stimulants that had been
provided for such an emergency were produced, and though not pressed upon our
ancient friend, were kept prominently before him until, as the night grew old
and the narrator weary, he was included as the "cup that cheers"
made its occasional rounds. A judicious indulgence in present comforts
dispelled all fears in regard to the future state, and at an auspicious
moment the photographs of the tablets owned by the bishop were produced for
inspection. Old Ure Vaeiko had never seen a photograph before, and was
surprised to find how faithfully they reproduced the tablets which he had
known in his young days. A tablet would have met with opposition, but no
objection could be urged against a photograph, especially something possessed
by the good bishop, whom he had been instructed to reverence. The photographs
were recognized immediately, and the appropriate legend related with fluency
and without hesitation from beginning to end. The story of all the tablets of
which we had knowledge was finally obtained, the words of the native being
written down by Mr. Salmon as they were uttered, and afterwards translated
into English.

A casual glance it the Easter
Island tablets is sufficient to note the fact that they differ materially
from other kyriologic writings. The pictorial symbols are engraved in regular
lines on depressed channels, separated by slight ridges intended to protect
the hieroglyphics from injury by rubbing. In some cases the characters are
smaller, and the tablets contain a greater number of lines, but in all cases
the hieroglyphics are incised and cover both sides as well as the beveled
edge and hollows of the board upon which they are engraved. The symbols on
each line are alternately reversed; those on the first stand upright, and
those on file next line are upside down, and so on by regular alternation.

This unique plan makes it
necessary for the reader to turn the tablet, and change its position at the
end of every line; by this means the characters will be found to follow in
regular procession. The reading should commence at the lower left-hand
corner, on the particular side that will bring the figures erect, and
followed as the characters face in the procession, turning the tablet at the
end of each line, as indicated. Arriving at the top of the first face, the reading
is continued over the edge to the nearest line, at the top of the other side,
and the descent continues in the same manner until the end is reached. The
Boustrophedon method is supposed to have been adopted in order to avoid the
possibility of missing a line of hieroglyphics.

Ure Vaeiko's fluent interpretation
of the tablet was not interrupted, though it became evident that he was not
actually reading the characters. It was noticed that the shifting of position
did not accord with the number of symbols on the lines, and afterwards when
the photograph of another tablet was substituted, the same story was
continued without the change being discovered. The old fellow was quite
discomposed when charged with fraud at the close of an all-night session, and
at first maintained that the characters were all understood, but he could not
give the signification of hieroglyphics copied indiscriminately from tablets
already marked. He explained at great length that the actual value and
significance of the symbols had been forgotten, but the tablets were
recognized by unmistakable features and the interpretation of them was beyond
question; just as a person might recognize a book in a foreign language and
be perfectly sure of the contents without being able to actually read it.

Beyond doubt certain legends are
ascribed to particular tablets, all of which are named, and a reference to
those names will recall the appropriate story from those who do not profess
to understand the hieroglyphics. An old mancalled
Kaitae, who claims relationship to the last king, Maurata, afterwards
recognized several of the tablets from the photographs and related the same
story exactly as that given previously by Ure Vaeiko.

The writing is composed of
pictorial symbols carrying their signification in the image they represent.
The execution would be a creditable production with the assistance of the
best etching tools, and is a truly wonderful result of patience and industry
to be accomplished by means of obsidian points. The minute size of the hieroglyphics
made it impossible to convey anything more than the general appearance of the
objects delineated, but the figures may be recognized by their form in the
outline drawing after the manner of some of the Egyptian hieroglyphics. The
study of the tablets is chiefly difficult on account of the way in which
actual objects are conventionally treated, and in order topreserve symmetry and effect, men, canoes,
fish, etc., are represented of the same size throughout the lilies.

A careful study of the hieroglyphics
of Easter Island is being made, with the hope that valuable information may
be obtained in regard to the early history a ad origin of the people. Results
of an extremely interesting nature are barely outlined at present and not in
shape to be presented herewith. It is not considered expedient to attempt an
explanation of the symbols until the subject can be treated exhaustively. As
an example of the ideographic character of the signs, the tablet containing
the genealogical tables shows a frequent repetition of the symbol of the
great spirit Meke-Meke in connection with that of the female vulva. The
signification is the birth of a person. The position of the figures shows
whether the child was the result of marriage, or intrigue, and the following
figures indicate the date of the birth, the seasons and the approximate time.
An important feature, in connection with the tablets, is the fact that forms
have been discovered which have no types on Easter Island, and which may lead
to an identification of the locality from whence the first settlers migrated.
The hieroglyphics include, besides the representation of actual objects,
figures used by the chiefs, and each clan had its distinctive mark. Samples
are given in different treaties made with the islanders of the sign-manual of
some of the chiefs.